The Taste
by emeralddusk
Summary: Quinn's experiment has an unexpected effect on Zoey.
1. Chapter 1

_Return to PCA_

The Taste

Chapter One: Changing Things

"People have been complaining about the food in the cafeteria," Quinn Pensky stated as the young man typed and the dean listened. The night was young but aging quickly as the lights slowly began to dim. "That's pretty much where it started. And of course, as you know, the whole campus community gets its food from one primary supplier."

Dean Rivers nodded, turning to the secretary for a moment. "And that company would be Blix Food Services," he declared for the records. Stroking the graying whiskers on his chin, the man returned his gaze to PCA's prodigy. "Sorry. Please go on."

"No problem," Quinn replied. "So, one of the major complaints was directed towards Kazu's sushi restaurant. The decline in quality was quite obvious. Ever since the concept of flavor-enhancing sprays utilizing advanced chemistry to alter foods at a near-microscopic level dawned near Chicago last year, the students figured I'd be the perfect person to fix their problem."

It wasn't long ago. Mixing chemicals in the comfort of her dorm room, the brunette young woman squinted through her glasses, burning the rest of her energy to fill one more vial. "Quinn," a calm, familiar voice broke the silence: it was Zoey. "You've been up for days. It's time to sleep."

"I've almost got it finished," Quinn mumbled, feeling her mind starting to drift. Feeling the warm embrace of a soft blanket upon her shoulders, the bespeculated young woman let her friend lead her to her bed. Setting her glasses on her desk, Quinn let her head droop to the side, her eyes closed. "Thanks, Zoey."

"No problem, kid," the blond girl replied with a gentle smile. "Just remember to take care of yourself sometimes, Quinn. Sweet dreams." Moving silently, not wanting to wake Lola or Nicole, Zoey made her way to her bed, sat on its edge, and brushed her long, straight locks as her mother taught her, before lying down and allowing herself to fall asleep.

Opening her eyes, the bright, warm glow of the orange and yellow sunrise shining through the window behind her bed, Zoey watched the image of Quinn mixing chemicals come into focus. Glancing at her clock, the young woman groaned while slowly raising herself into seated position. "Quinn," she exclaimed, wrapping herself in her housecoat. "What are you doing up this early? It's five-thirty and you haven't been sleeping."

"Zoey, the campus's been waiting for this formula," the brunette girl answered, her voice weighed down with grogginess. "I've got to get this done soon."

"You can't keep working yourself to the ground like this," Zoey replied, getting up and walking towards Quinn. "You need to take a break."

"I'm fine," Quinn answered, sounding shorter than she intended. "Please…just give me some time alone. Lola and Nicole went for a walk around the campus if you want to hang out with them."

Pressing her fingers inward, applying pressure to her sleep-deprived and aching eyes, the blond young woman sighed. "I'm gonna take a shower," she groaned. "It's way too early for this," Zoey snarled under her breath.

Vaguely hearing room 101's door closing, Quinn tried to settle herself down as she heated the clear liquid in front of her. Suddenly dropping her tools, the brunette young woman removed her glasses and pressed her palms into her face, letting out a heavy, regretful sigh. Tension setting in the back of her neck, Quinn felt her thoughts continue to race. _What the hell am I doing? _she asked herself, unable to stop thinking about her friends. _I screwed up._

Her hazel-brown eyes gently closed, Zoey twisted the nozzles of the shower, feeling secure behind the tinted windows of the girls' bathroom. Hissing, a stream of hot water beads splashed against the young woman's chest as she stroked her long blond hair tightly back, letting the moisture keep her locks in place. Her tan skin glistening under the weak lights above, the girl gently stroked her shoulders, taking in the warmth of the water, feeling her body merge with the water. Her arms crossed over her tight breasts, the young woman's lightly toned stomach gracefully streamed down into her hips, completing her slim, fit pear-figure. Glancing down, lightly twisting her back, the blond looked at her buttocks, which slightly peaked out, giving her a curvy but fit look overall. In the eyes of all, she was a beautiful young woman. Sighing and shrugging off her tension, Zoey kept her eyes closed, trying to visualize her argument with Quinn. _She's putting way too much pressure on herself, _she told herself as she lathered the shampoo into her hair. _Man, I sound like her mother…Maybe I've been babying her. But she can't keep pushing herself like this._ Letting out a heavy sigh of temporary surrender, Zoey rinsed off her hands and began washing her body. _Just leave her alone for awhile. It's not going to do any good if she's pissed at me._

About an hour later, Zoey, Nicole, and Lola met up at the cafeteria. The earth was warming over with the blessing of the bright sun, and the three had a table all to themselves. Nicole got her usual: whole-wheat pancakes with maple syrup, bacon, orange juice, and a small piece of cake. Lola grabbed a protein bar and a carton of milk, and Zoey simply sat down with a hot cup of coffee.

"Do you ever eat breakfast?" Lola asked, not intending to start a lecture.

"Not really," Zoey answered, taking of sip of her beverage. "Ever since I was a kid, I always rushed in the morning and never really had time to sit down and eat. I usually have a bigger lunch and dinner, though. I'm just not really a morning person when it comes to that."

Swallowing her bite of pancake, Nicole turned towards her friend. "Well, you're definitely not like me, then," she chuckled before taking a gulp of orange juice. Zoey smiled back at her friend, giving a quick laugh. "Oh hey, how was Quinn when you got up?"

"Busy," the blond girl answered. "She's been obsessed with this project. I'm getting kind of concerned."

"Like she's gonna burn out?" Lola asked, setting down her drink. "I know where you're coming from. You just can't really talk to her about her experiments. She'll be okay once it's over with."

"Don't lose sleep over it, Zoe," Nicole gently pleaded. "She'll take care of herself." Zoey shrugged before taking a long sip of her coffee.

_Take me as I am, _the amplified voice of Digital Sons' lead singer declared, filling the room with Alternative rock as Quinn turned back and forth through her book. Digital Sons was Quinn's favorite band since she was thirteen. _Save me from this fright night, baby._ Their songs always helped her lose herself in work or thought when she needed to. _Let me take your hand…_ "This is ridiculous," the brunette girl declared, slamming her book shut. "I can't make a spray that'll work for everyone. Taste isn't universal. There's got to be something…a nexus, maybe…I just need to stimulate certain taste buds: one area at a time…that's it! Create stimuli. Change the affect the food has on the taste buds…not the food itself. I've got it…" Quickly returning to her chemicals, Quinn began altering her formula: producing something new that would alter the taste buds: a one-time event with a lasting effect. _Not a drug. Not an addictive substance. Not a trick. Something to help them survive the taste of the new food…something to further their nutrition, _the young woman told herself, growing excited. _They'll recognize when something's expired or poorly prepared, but bland foods will just be…better. I've finally got it. _Having cracked the code, Quinn began completing the end product. Hours passed by unnoticed at the pace of minutes.

Lola looked over her body, making sure her figure was tight, toned, and appealing. "Lola, you look fine," Zoey declared, handing her friend a towel. "You're gorgeous. You don't have to worry about your body like this. You're the perfect model and you're healthy."

Taking one last glance, the Latina turned away from the mirror, gently taking the towel and wrapping it around herself. "Thanks, Zoe," she said, giving her friend a brief and innocent kiss on the cheek. "I'm really nervous about this shoot."

"You're gonna be perfect," the blond girl replied.

"Totally," Nicole added, brushing her hair. "You know, sometimes I wish I looked like you guys…in a normal way, you know. Not like…some weird, crazy, obsessive thing." The group burst into laughter. "Seriously, though, we're all good. Just relax."

"I hate it when people tell me that," Lola replied, not intending to be short. "…But thanks, guys. You always make me feel…okay. You two should think about joining me someday. You'd be awesome models." Smiling, Nicole jabbed her hand onto her hip and began swaying her hips. Being a model was the furthest thing from the brunette's mind: just thinking about it was like a running gag. The group burst into laughter once again.

"I love you, Nicole," Zoey declared. "You know that?"

Suddenly, Zoey and Lola heard their phones vibrating. _D-Cup, D-D-Cup. This ain't the hottie hottie, oh!_ Zoey and Lola looked towards Nicole, their faces expressing concern and disbelief. "Stupid thing," Nicole quickly shot out, furiously pressing buttons to end the ringtone. Finally, the intolerable music stopped, and the three read the texts sent to them.

_Zoe, Lola, Nicole, meet me at room 101 asap._

_From Quinn._

The group looked at one another. A message like that from Quinn meant either success or a nightmare. The three took off towards their dorm without a second thought.


	2. Chapter 2

_Return to PCA_

The Taste

Chapter Two: Consequence

Taking her necklace out of her shirt, Zoey quickly put the pink and white key into the lock of dorm 101, turned it sharply, and opened the door. Standing proudly in her lab smock, her goggles dangling over her glasses, and her beaker in hand, Quinn smiled as hard as she could. "I've got it!" she cried out, struggling to keep her voice from quaking. "I finally cracked it!" Running forward, the young woman hugged her three friends, carefully preventing any impact with the vile.

"Congrats, Quinn," Nicole declared. Lola clapped her hands, sharing in her friend's pride.

"Told you you'd get it," Zoey added with a smile. Quinn smiled back, setting the beaker back in its stand.

"Thanks for believing in me," the brunette young woman replied. "Sorry for being such a jerk. I just…you know. So, hey, why don't we go out tonight? My treat."

"I've gotta work," Zoey answered, regret filling her voice. "Kazu got short-shifted again, so I've been working nights. Sorry, girls."

"Actually," Nicole replied. "We could test out Quinn's new formula on Kazu's sushi. Then Zoey could clock out and join us."

"That beats taking a rain check," the blond young woman declared. "I'm in."

"Dido," Nicole added, raising her hand up to her head with a joking smile on her face.

"Mi' hace trace," Lola happily joined in.

"Cool," Quinn said. "I'm gonna take a shower, then I'll ride over with you guys. I'll text Kazu and see if he'll let me in the kitchen."

Later that night, the skies were clear, revealing thousands of stars over the illuminated skyline of Malibu in the distance. PCA was quiet as the group drove to the restaurant. Zoey had walked to work about an hour ago, leaving Lola, Nicole, and Quinn time to talk.

"I'm still feeling kind of guilty over everything," the young woman declared, adjusting her glasses.

"Quinn, it's fine," Nicole replied. "Stop beating yourself up."

"Yeah, we're cool," Lola added, taking a turn onto a road lined with medium-height trees topped with thick green leaves. "You've just gotta let yourself relax, kiddo."

"Lola," Quinn replied, a trace of humor in her voice. "I'm pretty much the same age as you. I'm not a kid."

"You never mind when Zoey calls you that," the Latina shot back with a smile on her face. Quinn mumbled something to herself before silently ending the conversation. Nicole held back the desire to giggle like a school girl at the situation. "Okay, here we are. Kazu's cool with you testing out that formula?"

"Only on our food," the bespeculated brunette answered. "I still haven't earned back all his trust."

"You're sure this stuff is safe?" Nicole inquired, leaning forward. "I mean, it won't explode or turn us into boys or something, right?"

"It's safe, Nikki," Quinn answered. "It's completely non-lethal. I know what I'm doing." Taking some solace in her friend's words, Nicole nodded before leaning back into her seat.

The three walked into the building, greeted Kazu as friends, and then took their seats at a table. "Could we have that cute blond be our waitress, please?" Nicole asked, acting sickly sweet.

"Hai," the Japanese-American man answered, having grown familiar to Dorm 101's habits. Bowing, Kazu departed to the kitchen area, informed Zoey about the guests, and let Quinn enter. The sushi bar was far from busy, but business had increased since Quinn's announcement was made.

The two young women talked for a short time until Zoey left to take the gang's usual orders. The blond girl was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a somewhat skin-tight orange shirt under her apron. Her figure was tight and slim, as Quinn noticed for a brief instant before turning away. Walking back to the pre-prepared meal, the brunette readied her formula, and carefully applied it to each piece of sushi. Returning from the table, the blond girl stepped behind the cash register. "Hey Quinn, can you hand me the plate, please?" Zoey asked, turning around and facing her friend from behind the buffet glass.

"No prob," Quinn answered, taking the dish and quickly turning around. Suddenly, the brunette felt her feet slip over a coil of a discarded apron. Thrusting her weight forward, Quinn watched the rolls fly from the plate as her hands landed on the glass. Dropping her jaw for a moment, trying to ask her friend if she was okay, Zoey felt two pieces of sushi hit the inside of her mouth. Pressing her right hand to her throat, feeling herself start to gag, the blond girl rested her left hand on the desk. Nicole and Lola began to rise up just as Zoey gulped down the raw fish.

The building fell silent with shock. Her hand still gripping the desk, Zoey slowly lowered herself into a seated position, her entire body swollen. _Original measurements: 34-24-32._ Her once-small hips had ballooned out to nearly twice their original size, and her buttocks were wide, rounded, and soft. The small opening of her top, which displayed only a patch of her upper chest was widened and bore Zoey's large, nearly melon-shaped cleavage. The breasts themselves were large, soft, and drooped lower than before. Her stomach was wide, soft and swollen, peaking out in the middle, void of muscle, and bulging delicately. Turning around on her large, softened arms, Zoey let out a struggling sigh. "Oh, god," she exclaimed, catching a glance at how large her body had become. Shocked, Nicole and Lola couldn't help but gasp. Her jaw dropped, Quinn dropped the plate, letting it shatter on the floor.

"What's happening?" Kazu declared, rushing back into the room.

Groaning, Zoey lifted herself up, feeling her thighs rub up against each other as her newly-formed belly stuck out, folding inward into her large, softly curved breasts. "Oh, I'm taking the night off, Kazu," she moaned, struggling with the now- extreme tightness of her clothing. "Girls, please help me." The added weight was too much to bear so suddenly. Quinn, Lola, and Nicole ran to their friend's side as they left the restaurant.

The car ride back to the dorms was spent primarily in silence. Zoey reluctantly took the backseat, crowding Nicole. The seatbelt felt so tight across the blond girl's tummy, and her breasts were constricted. "What happened?" she asked, slapping her hands onto each side of her large, soft stomach. Her palms tightening around her new fat, Zoey felt her belly jiggle slightly.

"Zoey, I am so sorry," Quinn pleaded, her tone just short of frantic. "I must've made some kind of mistake…I don't know; maybe it did something to your hormones. It produced chemicals at an extreme rate. According to my observations, you seem to have gained at least thirty pounds within seconds. I'm so sorry. I promise you, I will find a way to fix this."

Trying to hide her resentment, anger, and humiliation, the blond girl sighed, trying desperately to make herself comfortable. "I'm sorry, guys," Zoey finally declared. "This bra is killing me." Roughly jutting both hands into her shirt, the young woman began furiously adjusting her breasts, causing them to jiggle, bounce, and flop up and down. Finally, the chubby girl pulled her bra out and tucked into her purse. Nicole was unable to look away. Crossing her arms over her breasts, Zoey brought an irritated expression upon her face.

"Hey, that's kind of cute," Nicole said, trying to calm the situation. "You look pouty." Gently raising her hand, Zoey pressed into her cheek, feeling the added softness and puffy tissue. Her expression slowly changed to confused and concerned. "Sorry," Nicole squeaked out, forcing a friendly smile onto her face.

"How are you feeling?" Lola asked, glancing at her friend in the rear-view mirror.

"Like a balloon," Zoey sighed. "I feel…just really bloated, swollen…is it hot in here? I feel really hot."

"You're probably adjusting to your increased, um, fat cells," Quinn explained, her attempt at being tactful shining like a dying sun. "There's more to hold her body heat in. I'll turn on the AC, but just try to relax."

Looking down, Zoey discovered that she could no longer see her seatbelt: her stomach bulged out over it. Touching her tummy, the blond girl rubbed up and down, feeling the soft bulge that was once flat and tight move up and down. Her stomach felt full and inflated. Self-consciousness had never truly been a factor in the young woman's life: it was there, but never amounted to much. Now, it was everywhere.

"You don't look bad, Zoe," Nicole said, trying to keep her voice just above a whisper. "You're pretty. You've always been pretty. And don't forget that you're funny, smart, and sweet. Don't let this get to you, okay?"

"I just…I don't know," Zoey answered. "It's just, I work out, I eat right, and now…" Holding her hands out, palms facing upward to display what was in front of her, the young woman looked down at her large breasts, pudgy stomach, wide thighs and calves, and her strained clothing. "I don't like how I feel. This just…it isn't me." Quinn lowered her head, fighting the urge to cry in self-defeat and regret.

"I know, Zoe," Nicole replied. "This won't be forever…besides, the guys are gonna love the new look. Chase probably won't be able to stop drooling. Boys love curves." Despite her best efforts, Zoey allowed herself to smile and laugh at the absurd situation presented to her. Nicole meant well, but what others thought never mattered to Zoey.

Finally, the gang arrived back at the dorm building. "I'm gonna have to borrow some clothes and underwear from Coco," the blond girl declared, feeling her stomach and breasts gently giggle and flop as she walked into the building. "This is gonna take some getting used to."

"Hey, it's all about how you carry yourself," Lola added, using her modeling know-how to be firm but kind. "Be proud, be bold, and feel sexy."

"It's not that simple," Zoey replied, not sure of how she felt overall. "Thirty pounds just appeared all over my body. I need to, I don't know, adjust. I need time for all this to feel normal."

Quinn jotted down some notes as the others talked, trying to remain a ways behind them. _You screwed up again, _she told herself. _Why the hell do I keep messing these experiments up? What am I doing wrong? This is all my fault. Maybe I'm not helping people with my work. Maybe I'm just making things worse._

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, arms down at her sides, stomach, breasts, and shoulders relaxed, Zoey stared at her reflection. Her body was soft, her buttocks, tummy, hips, and boobs were extruding, and, overall, she looked like a new person. Sighing, the young woman watched her enlarged mammaries droop. Her orange shirt was on the verge of ripping, and, worst of all, her belly button was visible through her top. Turning to her side, Zoey gazed at her profile. Overall, she had a form of an apple body shape now. Turning forward, the young woman tried to make herself feel okay about the change she underwent. Somewhat shocked, Zoey looked at her upper chest, poking the area above her cleavage to feel a spot of soft skin under her pointer finger. The feeling was truly strange.

Lola and Nicole stood back, trying to find a way to support their friend during this trying time. Finally, the two walked beside her, gazing at her reflection. "You don't look bad, honey," Nicole pleaded.

Lola nodded. "Yeah," she added. "It's actually kinda sexy."

"…You're sure Quinn can fix all this?" the blond girl finally said, looking herself over.

"She always does," Nicole answered.

"…I…I guess I look kind of good," Zoey declared, trying not to blush. "I'm…well, I'm alotta woman." The three giggled.

"Oh my god, look at your breasts!" the Latina declared, unable to keep the massive smile from forming on her face.

Zoey looked down at herself. "Whoa," she exclaimed. "Wow…I'm, like, a D-cup now. That's…I kind of like that."

"Not trying to be a creep," Nicole began, turning to Zoey. "But, can I…"

"You wanna touch 'em?" Zoey asked, unused to her endowment, much less others taking notice.

"Yeah," the brunette answered. "I'm not a lesbian, but…hey, when am I gonna get a chance like that again?" Nicole looked down at herself, emphasizing her own bosoms. "I mean…I've got nothing."

"Um, sure," the blond girl finally gave in, feeling somewhat flattered.

Her heart beating faster than usual, Nicole smiled and put her hands atop her best friend's breasts. "Whoa," the brunette declared. Moving her hands upward, brining Zoey's breasts with them, Nicole felt the soft, plump, delicately firm tissue flow within her palms. "Holy crap. They're like…I don't know. They're like…super-stuffed pillows." With that, Zoey burst out laughing, unable to control herself. Her face completely flushing over with crimson as vibrant as that of a sunset, Nicole cradled her face in her palms, gasping out uncontrollable laughter that seemed to come from her very heart. Infected by her friends and the ridiculous situation, Lola caught herself breaking into a fit of loud, shameless laughter.

Sitting in dorm 101, away from her friends and their inaudible laughter, Quinn looked over her notes, trying to figure out where she went wrong. _I have to fix this…then I'm done. For good, _she promised herself. _Never again._

Zoey's appearance is based in part off Clementine Desseaux


	3. Chapter 3

_Return to PCA_

The Taste

Chapter Three: Breakthroughs

"Zoey Brooks?" Coco asked, her eyes opening as wide as physically possible. "Didn't you used to be skinny?"

Putting on a false smile, the blond young woman shrugged her softened shoulders, turning her hands outward, then smacking them on each side of her large, round belly. Ignoring the mild jiggling of her swollen tummy, Zoey kept her eyes on her dorm advisor "Well, I guess I…had too many sweets before I went to bed last night," she wove, not wanting to further embarrass Quinn. "So, um, could I please borrow some shirts and pants and…underwear…please?" _This sucks so much._

_Save me from this force inside me, _Digital Sons boldly sang, the sound of the lead singer's voice resounding through Quinn's headphones. _Let me take your hand._ Her eyes straining, the curtains behind her blocking out the light of midday, the young brunette woman clenched her forehead. "Where did I go wrong?" she asked herself. "I can't do this anymore. I've gotta call the dean: cancel the product. This is a nightmare." The song concluded, leading into 'Hypocrisy". _I close my eyes in disgrace: Breathe you in for a little while. I hate the way that I feel._ "I'm sorry, Zoey. I keep letting you down."

Turning on the shower, Zoey felt the beads of water wash over her body. Letting out a sigh, the young woman looked at her new and exposed body for the first time: Her breasts were larger, rounder, softer, and heavier than ever before. The feeling of her pillow-like mounds touching one another was new and unfamiliar. Her stomach had grown so large and round that the young woman was unable to see her toes. Resting her hands on her hips, Zoey raised them, keeping the distance consistent. The crude measurement only caused more distaste for the young woman. _Oh man, I'm huge. _The idea of disliking her overall appearance was a nightmare. It was all wrong. _This is all your fault, Quinn…Oh, what the hell's wrong with me? She didn't do this on purpose…That won't mean much if she can't fix this, though. _Setting her hands on her posterior, Zoey felt her soft, rounded cheeks, their size dropping her jaw and causing her to gasp. "I'm gonna need a bigger towel," she decided. Feeling her chubby cheeks grow hot, the young woman realized not only that she was blushing, but that a painful lump was forming in her throat. _Maybe this is bigger than I thought…_

"She's really getting upset over this," Nicole told Lola as the two walked down the sidewalk. "I'm starting to worry. I mean, Zoey's never had body image problems."

"No, but this was sudden," Lola replied. "She didn't have time to adjust. She literally went from healthy and in shape to…well, borderline obesity in about a minute. That'd be hard on anyone. Plus, she's in sports. That's going to be really hard for her. We've got to be there for her."

"Then let's head back," the brunette young woman answered. The two stopped, turned around, and headed towards their dorm building.

When the two young women finally arrived, Zoey was still in the bathroom, looking at her reflection in the mirror. A look of disappointment stained her face. Entering the room, Nicole and Lola greeted their friend and began a conversation about something else. However, their efforts failed.

"Look, guys," Zoey interrupted. "I'm sorry, but I'm just feeling really crappy."

"How about we just sit here?" Nicole suggested. "We know this is hard on you."

"And you need friends by your side," Lola added. "We'll get through this. You'll get through this, okay?" Nodding, Zoey forced a tiny smile onto her face.

"You really think she'll be able to fix this?" the blond young woman asked, looking down at her swollen belly.

"Definitely," Nicole answered, though she was truly unsure.

After an hour of silence, Zoey got a text message instructing her to meet the young scientist at dorm 101. Nicole and Lola followed, trying to take their friend's mind off her transformation. Clad in Coco's poofy pink top and skinny jeans, the blond young woman felt her buttocks sway with more force than she was used to. "Man," Zoey exclaimed. "My thighs are rubbing together…I'm starting to get tired."

"You're just not used to the weight yet," Lola explained. "Besides, there's no hurry." Recognizing sympathy in her friends' words, the blond girl tried to push herself further.

Reaching dorm 101, the three young women entered slowly, closing the door behind them. Quinn was setting up what appeared to be medical equipment. "Hey, guys," the brunette greeted her friends. "How are you feeling, Zoey?"

"Bloated and tired," the blond answered. "What's all this?"

"I just need to check some basics," Quinn replied. "Please, sit down." Unsure of her weight, Zoey carefully sat down on a chair, listening to it creak. "Hold out your hand, please." The young woman put her hand out, showing the flab of her tan arms. Quinn wrapped a black Velcro strap around her friend's arm before setting her stethoscope on top of it, tightening the wrap by compressing a small ball. Silence filled the room as the hiss of pressure releasing brought the stick down on the gage attached to the strap. "Your blood pressure's normal." Removing the wrap, Quinn gently touched her pointer and middle finger on Zoey's inner wrist, feeling her pulse. "Pulse is good. A little bit strained, though." Jotting something down, the brunette began setting up a syringe. "Now I'm gonna take a blood sample, if that's okay."

"Yeah," Zoey answered. "I've got enough padding, so it shouldn't hurt that much." Self-disgust laced the young woman's voice. Biting her lip in regret, Quinn readied the needle, and carefully drew some of her friend's blood.

"Lola, can you get me a bandage, please?" Quinn asked, sending the young woman into a dresser drawer.

"This one's got unicorns on it," the Latina jokingly declared, carefully placing the pink and purple band aid on her friend's injection mark.

"Thanks, Zoey," Quinn said, sealing the vile. "I should be able to isolate certain factors to find an instant cure. You could be back to normal in afew days."

"I hope so," Zoey groaned, unable to hide her disappointment.

"I'm so sorry for all this," the brunette replied. "I promise I'll find a way, Zoe."

"…Quinn," the blond girl finally said, straining herself to stand up. "I've gotta be honest…I am incredibly upset about all this…but you can't keep beating yourself up, okay? That's not working for either of us." _She understood…_

"And here we are now," Quinn told the dean, looking up from her notes. "I'm still synthesizing a cure."

"How exactly do you plan to do that?" Rivers replied, gently dropping into the chair behind his desk. The journalists continued to write, never looking away from their notes.

Standing just outside the office, Zoey, Lola, and Nicole listened intently. "It took my about two days to find what I was looking for in Zoey's blood sample," the brunette young woman began. "But I finally came across something miraculous."

"And what would that be?" the dean asked, sensing an answer to their prayers.

"Artificial codes on the fat cells," Quinn answered. "You see, the formula altered Zoey's DNA, affecting her hormones and causing the production of body fat. At one point, I was afraid she would be stuck with the fat cells, but when the genetic codes presented themselves, I realized they were already isolated, and could be systematically eliminated without doing any harm to Zoey's body."

Rubbing her large, soft belly, Zoey smiled to herself. "Bye, bye chubby girl," she happily sang to herself. Nicole caught herself staring at the blond girl's figure.

"I wouldn't have been able to figure it out if I didn't start believing in myself again," the bespeculated girl continued. "Or if I didn't have friends that forgave me." Turning towards Zoey, Nicole, and Lola, Quinn allowed herself to dawn a large smile.

That night, the formula was completed and, under the supervision of the dean and the scientists, was given to Zoey. "Ready to test it?" Quinn asked.

"Oh, yeah," Zoey answered, bottoming the vile of liquid. Silence filled the room. Slowly, the blond girl felt her body tightening and shrinking back to its normal size and shape. "Oh my gosh, Quinn, you're a miracle-worker!" Hugging her friend, Zoey felt herself return to peace. "I'm me again. Well, you know, normal-size me."

"I'm just glad you're okay, Zoe," the brunette young woman replied. "Now, the formula won't simply erase those cells, so you might experience…"

"Oh, gosh!" Zoey exclaimed, running towards the bathroom. Nicole and Lola watched the girl flee.

"Should we…" Lola began to ask.

"She might need somebody to hold her hair back for a little while," Quinn answered, sending the Latina to the aid of her friend. "Well, that's over. Sucks that I couldn't fix the problem that started all this."

"We'll figure something out," Nicole replied. "You had a good idea going. I think you just need to be steady. You know, give yourself enough time to get it right."

"I don't think so," the young scientist replied, starting to put her beakers and test tubes away. "This was my last experiment. I'm retiring."

"You're not gonna give up," Nicole said. "Science is your life, Quinn. What happened to Zoey was an accident. She forgave you…don't you think you should do the same?" Quinn bit her lip. "You've got an amazing gift, babe. I think you just need some time away from it all, but it's up to you."

"…Thanks, Nikki," the brunette young woman replied. The two embraced one another warmly. "I always thought you were afraid of my work."

"Eh, sometimes," Nicole answered. "But this time…I was actually wondering if you could help me."

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked.

"What happened to Zoey…" Nicole began, playing with her hands as she spoke. "I…I'd really like to know what that feels like. I know it seems stupid, but…could you give me a sample? Just for a little while…just so I can try something new. Then, you can bring me back to normal."

"Nicole, I can't guarantee it would turn out the same way," the scientist began, growing nervous. "The first time was a freak accident, and a miracle something worse didn't happen."

"But if I gave you a blood sample…" the young woman cut in. "Wouldn't you be able to test it before you gave it to me? And test the antidote?" Silence met the two young women. "I really want this, Quinn. And I trust you and your work."

"…Give me some time," Quinn finally decided. "And I'll start some tests. I need some time off, though."

"No problem," Nicole happily answered, her smile displaying her pearly teeth as she stretched her arms out to hug her friend. "And thank you."

The sound of someone clearing their throat broke the two up. "She's okay," Lola declared, walking Zoey into the room.

"Thanks to you, Quinn," Zoey added.

"Thanks to all of us," Quinn replied, feeling at home once again in dorm 101.


End file.
